Peer to peer connection

ABSTRACT

A method in a first device for setting up a peer-to-peer IP connection between the first device and a second device may include sending a request to a second device for setting up the peer-to-peer IP connection between the first device and the second device. The request may include an IP address of the first device. Alternatively, an IP address of the second device may be received in a message from the second device. The peer-to-peer IP connection between the first device and the second device is then set up. The setting up may be initiated by one of the parties associated with the first device or the second device by connecting to the other party using the IP address of the other party.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/469,680, filed Sep. 1, 2006 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,798,075), whichclaims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 based on U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/806,274, filed Jun. 30, 2006, the disclosures ofwhich are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to setting up connections and,more particularly, to setting up a peer-to-peer IP connection betweencommunication devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the proliferation of portable multimedia devices and larger,cheaper memories for storing content, there is a growing desire forconsumers to share personal media content between several portabledevices. It has become more and more frequent for consumers to storemedia content on a portable device, such as, e.g., a mobile telephone,with a wireless data connection. Unfortunately, a connection between twomobile telephones is not sufficient to provide a peer-to-peer InternetProtocol (IP) connection and an access to the content. In today'ssolutions, a server is required to set up a peer-to-peer IP connection,which is time consuming and cumbersome. The server is used to keep trackof IP addresses and to enable the connection. The server is effectivelycontacted by all possible parties and the server thus holds IP addressesassociated with all the parties. Then when one party wished to call asecond party, it contacts the server. The server finds the current IPaddress associated with the second party. The connection can be routedthrough the server.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Aspects of the invention provide a mechanism for setting up apeer-to-peer IP connection, where the mechanism is fast and easy for theusers of the first and second devices.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a method ina first communication device (first device) for setting up apeer-to-peer IP connection between the first device and a secondcommunication device (second device) is provided. The method comprisesthe steps of: sending in an Short Message Service (SMS), MultimediaMessaging Service (MMS) or similar message to the second device, arequest for setting up the peer-to-peer IP connection between the firstdevice and the second device; sending an IP address of the first devicein a message to the second device, or receiving an IP address of thesecond device in a message from the second device; and setting up thepeer-to-peer IP connection between the first device and the seconddevice. The setting up is initiated by any one of the parties of thefirst device and the second device, having obtained the IP address ofthe other party in the step above, by connecting to the other party bymeans of the IP address of the other party.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a method ina second communication device (second device) for setting up apeer-to-peer IP connection between a first communication device (firstdevice) and the second device is provided. The method comprises thesteps of: receiving in an Short Message Service (SMS), MultimediaMessaging Service (MMS) or similar message from the first device, arequest for setting up the peer-to-peer IP connection between the firstdevice and the second device; receiving an IP address of the firstdevice in a message from the first device, or sending an IP address ofthe second device in a message to the first device; and setting up thepeer-to-peer IP connection between the first device and the seconddevice. The setting up is initiated by any one of the parties of thefirst device and the second device, having obtained the IP address ofthe other party in the step above, by connecting to the other party bymeans of the IP address of the other party.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, anarrangement in a first communication device is provided. The firstdevice arrangement comprises a Short Message Service (SMS), MultimediaMessaging Service (MMS) or similar message communication unit, adaptedto send, in an SMS, MMS or similar message to the second device, arequest for setting up a peer-to-peer IP connection between the firstdevice and a second communication device. The message communication unitis further adapted to send an IP address of the first device in amessage to the second device, or receive an IP address of the seconddevice in a message from the second device. The first device arrangementfurther comprises an IP communication unit adapted to set up thepeer-to-peer IP connection between the first device and the seconddevice. The setting up is initiated by any one of the parties of thefirst device and the second device, having obtained the IP address ofthe other party, by connecting to the other party by means of the IPaddress of the other party.

In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, anarrangement in a second communication device is provided. The seconddevice arrangement comprises a Short Message Service (SMS), MultimediaMessaging Service (MMS) or similar message communication unit adapted toreceive, in an SMS, MMS or similar message from the first device, arequest for setting up the peer-to-peer IP connection between the firstdevice and the second device. The message communication unit is furtheradapted to receive an IP address of the first device in a message fromthe first device, or send an IP address of the second device in amessage to the first device; and the second device arrangement furthercomprises an IP communication unit adapted to set up the peer-to-peer IPconnection between the first device and the second device. The settingup is initiated by any one of the parties of the first device and thesecond device, having obtained the IP address of the other party, byconnecting to the other party by means of the IP address of the otherparty.

Since the request for setting up a peer-to-peer IP connection and the IPaddress are sent in a SMS, MMS or similar message, the peer-to-peer IPconnection can be set up in a fast and easy way.

An advantage of the present invention is that standard network protocolsmay be used, which implies that networks do not require upgrades for thetechnology of the invention to work. Therefore, there is no need for anychanges with respect to standard network protocols.

Another advantage associated with the present invention is that noserver is required for setting up the peer-to-peer IP connection. Stillanother advantage is that communication devices also are easier to port.A further advantage of the present invention is that it does not requireusers to upload content to a public server.

Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it does notrequire a subscription to a third-party service. A further advantage ofthe present invention is that the mechanism is also easily extendible tomedia content stored on a home personal computer (PC) or media server.Another advantage of the present invention is that it will work with anydevice that has a temporary IP address and a secondary means ofcommunication that has a stable address known to other parties.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a first devicecommunicating with a second device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a combined flow chart and message sequence diagram describinga method for setting up a peer-to-peer IP connection between the firstdevice and the second device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an arrangement in afirst communication device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an arrangement in asecond communication device according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention is defined as a method and an arrangement which may be putinto practice in the embodiments described below.

FIG. 1 shows a first communication device 100 (referred to herein asfirst device 100), adapted to communicate with a second communicationdevice 110 (referred to herein as second device 110). The first device100 and second device 110 are included in a communication system, suchas, e.g., a radio communication system using technologies such as, e.g.,Global System for Mobile communication (GSM), Wideband Code DivisionMultiple Access (WCDMA), a Plain Old Telephone Service system (POTS), orthe Internet. The first device 100 and second device 110 may be, e.g., aportable device, a mobile phone, a Personal Digital Computer, a POTSdevice, a computer or any other communication device. The first device100 and the second device 110 further have a respective IP address and arespective telephone number or some other kind of address that make themcapable of communicating via Short Message Service (SMS), MultimediaMessaging Service (MMS) or similar, using an SMS, MMS bearer or asimilar bearer that may be circuit switched or packet switched. Thismeans that the respective first and second device 100, 110 maycommunicate via an IP route 120 and/or an SMS, MMS and/or similar route130. For example, the first device 100 and second device 110 may includea Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card or similar function, such asUniversal Mobile Telecommunications System SIM (USIM) or IP MultimediaSubsystem SIM (ISIM), which function includes the telephone number or another kind of address of the device. When describing the invention, theterm “message” is used for any SMS, MMS or any similar message and/orservice. The present method uses the feature of a communication systemin which devices with a SIM card or a similar card/device, or atelephone number can directly be contacted as soon as the devices areturned on, via the SMS, MMS or similar bearer.

The present method may further use a feature used in SMS, MMS orsimilar, defined in some communication systems, such as radiocommunications systems, which directly address a specified port, notappearing in the device's normal SMS inbox and thereby auto startcertain applications.

For example, if the first device 100 or the second device 110 is acomputer with a SIM (or ISIM or USIM) card, it can connect to theInternet using, e.g., General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), and can sendand receive an SMS, MMS or similar message using GSM. Such a computercan potentially also be connected to the Internet through a landlinecable, such as, e.g., Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) or abroadband access. With the SIM (or USIM, or ISIM or similar) card, ithas an identity which makes it reachable. This identity can be itsMobile Station International Integrated Service Digital Network (MSISDN) number, such as in the SMS case, or it can be a Session InitiationProtocol Uniform Resource Identifier (SIP URI), as is the case with ISIM(ISIM is the SIM card application used in the IMS case). The firstdevice 110 and the second device can, e.g., send and receive SMS, MMS orsimilar messages over the GSM network or alternatively over the landline cable over the Internet with a direct connection to the ShortMessage Service Center (SMSC). In this document, the term “telephonenumber” is used, but the term also covers any similar address making itpossible to send and receive.

It is not unlikely that the SMS service over time is replaced bysomething else. A feature of the SMS, MMS or similar service that thefirst device 100 and second device 110 use is that the second device 110is always available as soon as the user of the second device 110installs the SIM (or USIM or ISIM) card into the second device 110. Asimilar service in the present method should also have this feature, butcan be more efficiently implemented by using, e.g., the SIP URI identityinstead of the MS ISDN. Therefore the present invention also coversalternative services to SMS.

Assume that the first device 100 wishes to set up a peer-to-peer IPconnection between the first device 100 and the second device 110. Thesecond device 110 is addressable by its telephone number or similar,independent of its actual IP address.

FIG. 2 is a combined flow chart and message sequence diagram describinga method for initiating a peer-to-peer IP connection between the firstdevice 100 and the second device 110 by using an SMS, MMS or similarmessage to initialize the IP connection. The method may comprise thefollowing steps:

201. The first device 100 wishes to initiate a peer-to-peer IPconnection between the first device 100 and the second device 110. Anexemplary scenario may be that the user of the first device 100 wishesto share multimedia content with user of the second device 110 over thepeer-to peer connection. The first device 100 sends a message to thesecond device 110, using the telephone number (or similar) of the seconddevice 110. This message is also referred to as the first messageherein. The message comprises a request for setting up a peer-to-peer IPconnection between the first device 100 and the second device 110. Themessage may further comprise the IP address of the first device 100. Inan alternative embodiment, the IP address of the second device 110 maybe sent in a second message, which will be described below. The firstmessage may further comprise the telephone number of the first device100. This is performed in a common way, i.e., information about thetelephone number of a sender of an SMS, MMS or similar message isincluded in the SMS, MMS or similar message. This may be performedautomatically, for example, by an application such as Internet browserapplication or an IP telephony application, e.g., if the first device100 wishes to share an application with the second device 110, such asan IP telephony application that the first device 100 wishes to use forcommunicating with the second device 110. The user of the first device100 then starts the application and chooses or enters the telephonenumber of the second device 110. The application then automaticallysends the message to the same application in the second device 110. Inthat case, the message further comprises a trigger to start theapplication in the second device. This may, e.g., be accomplished by thefirst device 100 addressing the first message to a specific port at thesecond device 110, which port is associated with the application. If thesecond device includes that application, it has registered that anymessage addressed to that specific port is associated with theapplication. The message then auto starts the application in the seconddevice 110.

202. The message is parsed in the second device 110. In the parsingstep, the request is identified, i.e., that the first device 100 wishesto initiate a peer-to-peer IP connection between the first device 100and the second device 110. In this step, the sender may also beidentified. This may be performed by identifying the telephone number,e.g., by checking the telephone number against a phone book in thesecond device. The second device 110 may comprise a user-defined list ofuser of devices who are allowed to form peer-to-peer IP connections tothe second device 110. If there is such a list and the user of thesecond device 110 and/or the first device 100 is not on the list, theprocedure ends and no peer-to-peer IP connection is set up.

203. When the request is identified, and if the IP address was includedin the first message of the second device 110, the first device 100 isconnected to the second device 110 for setting up a peer-to-peer IPconnection between the first device 100 and the second device 110, usingthe IP address comprised in the first message. As described above, oneexample of performing the setting up automatically is if the firstmessage was sent to a specific port in the second device 110. In thiscase, the port being associated to a specific application, theapplication in the second device 110 is started automatically. Theapplication in the second device 110 then initiates the peer-to-peer IPconnection between the application in the first device 100 and the sameapplication in the second device 110. The first device 100 may beinformed of the IP address of the second device 110 and anidentification identifying the second device 110 during the set up.

In an alternative to step 203, three steps 203 a, 203 b and 203 c may betaken, which steps are illustrated as dashed arrows and square 203 a,203 b and 203 c. In this alternative embodiment, no IP address wasincluded in the first message and therefore the second device cannotinitiate the peer-to-peer IP connection. Instead, the second device 110provides the first device 100 with the IP address of the second device110 and the first device 100 initiates the start up of the peer-to-peerIP connection.

203 a. When the request is identified, the second device 110 replies tothe first message from the first device 100 by sending a second message.This may be performed automatically without involving the user of thesecond device 110. The second message includes the current IP address ofthe second device 110. The second message may further include anidentification number and a request for a peer-to-peer IP connectionbetween the first device 100 and the second device 110.

203 b. When the first device 100 receives the second message, i.e., thereply from the second device 110, the first device 100 parses the secondmessage and extracts the IP address and also the identification ifincluded.

203 c. The first device 100 connects to the second device 110 forsetting up a peer-to-peer IP connection between the first device 100 andthe second device 110, using the IP address included in the secondmessage. This may be performed automatically without involving the userof the first device 100.

204. The first device 100 may now communicate with the second device 110using the set up peer-to-peer IP connection. In some implementations, asdescribed in more detail below, the first device 100 and the second 110may share the application.

In one embodiment, the user of the first device 100 wishes to use thepeer-to-peer IP connection to browse on a server 140, e.g., a HyperTextTransfer Protocol (HTTP) server, in the second device 110. The seconddevice 110 includes the server 140 that provides any generic contentthat can be associated with any type of rendering program such as abrowser, audio and or video codecs and also Global Positioning System(GPS) positions, Personal Information Management (PIM) and similar. Thefirst device 100 and the second device 110 may include a respectiveInternet browser application. An Internet browser is a softwareapplication that enables a device to display and interact with text,images, and other information located on a HTTP server. Internetbrowsers communicate with HTTP servers to fetch information stored atthe HTTP server. A simple Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) page can bedynamically generated to provide a list of available files. According tothis embodiment, the present method includes further steps described indetail below.

205. The second device 110 starts an application to act as a server 140.This is performed by the trigger to start an application, e.g., anInternet browser application. In an exemplary implementation, the firstmessage may be a trigger to start a server application in the seconddevice 110, i.e., a software process to act as a multimedia networkserver at the Internet.

206. The first device 100 starts its Internet browser if not alreadystarted (e.g., the Internet browser may be started already in step 201when sending the first message, as discussed above). The first device100 uses the IP address of the second device 110 and possibly also theidentification identifying the first device 100 included in the first orsecond message. By means of, e.g., the Internet browser, the firstdevice 100 uses the IP address of the second device 110 for accessingserver 140. This may be performed by the first device 100 sending arequest to access the server 140 in the second device 110, to the IPaddress of the second device 110. The identification may be included inthis request as an authentication measure and in this case, the server140 lets the first device 100 access the server 140 if theidentification is identified as authorized. Note that the identificationmay be further processed by the first device 100 in a previously agreedway, so that the second device 110 is further assured that the requestto set up the peer-to-peer IP connection is from a legitimate user(e.g., the first device 100). The second device 110 recognizes the newsignature from the identification it sent out and stores informationindicating how the identification it sent out would be further processedby the first device 100. This enables the second device 110 to recognizethe new signature.

207. The user of the first device 100 now can browse the content of thesecond device 110 and stream or download media files accessible from theInternet browser of the first device 100 and/or the second device 110.

In a similar way, the present method may be used to start instantmessaging sessions, voice over IP connections, or any IP-based servicebetween two devices. Also, by running a background task on a personalcomputer or media server, the personal computer can send an SMS, MMS orsimilar message to inform the device whenever the dynamic IP address ofthe server associated with the personal computer is updated. This allowsthe user of the device to access all content stored on the serverassociated with the computer.

In an exemplary implementation, to perform the steps described above inFIG. 2, the first device 100 includes an arrangement 300 as depicted inFIG. 3. The first device arrangement 300 comprises an SMS, MMS orsimilar message communication unit 310 (referred to herein as messagecommunication unit 310) adapted to send in an SMS, MMS or similarmessage (referred to herein as the message) to the second device 110, arequest for setting up a peer-to-peer IP connection between the firstdevice 100 and the second device 110. The message communication unit 310further is adapted to send an IP address of the first device 100 in amessage to the second device 110, or receive an IP address of the seconddevice 110 in a message from the second device 110. The messagecommunication unit 310 may further be adapted to send, in a message tothe second device 110, an identification identifying the first device100.

The first device arrangement 300 further comprises an IP communicationunit 320 adapted to set up the peer-to-peer IP connection between thefirst device 100 and the second device 110, where the setting up isinitiated by any one of the parties of the first device 100 and thesecond device 110, having obtained the IP address of the other party, byconnecting to the other party by means of the IP address of the otherparty. The IP communication unit 320 may further be adapted to use theset up peer-to-peer IP connection for sending a request to the seconddevice 110, requesting to access a server 140 in the second device 110.

The second device 110 may comprise an application to act as a server,e.g., an HTTP server, and the message communication unit 310 may furtherbe adapted to send in a message to the second device 110, a trigger tostart the application in the second device 110. The IP communicationunit 320 may further be adapted to send to the second device 110, theidentification together with the request to access the server 140, wherethe identification is adapted to be used by the second device 110 as anauthentication measure before letting the first device 100 access theserver 140. The first device arrangement 300 may comprise an Internetbrowser application 330 and the IP communication unit 320 may further beadapted to browse a server in the second device 110, using the Internetbrowser application 330 in the first device 100.

The first device arrangement 300 may further include an application 340,where the IP communication unit 320 may be configured to share theapplication 340 with the second device 110 using, for example, the setup peer-to-peer IP connection.

In one embodiment, the message communication unit 310 may be adapted tosend the request for setting up the peer-to-peer IP connection betweenthe first device 100 and the second device 110, and the IP address ofthe first device 100 in the same message to the second device 110 (e.g.,the first message). The IP communication unit 320 may then be adapted tobe connected by the second device 110, wherein the second device 110 isinitiating the setting up of the peer-to-peer IP connection by means ofthe IP address of the first device 100 sent in the first message.

In another embodiment, the message communication unit 310 may be adaptedto send the request for setting up the peer-to-peer IP connectionbetween the first device 100 and the second device 110 in a firstmessage, and receive the IP address of the second device 110 in a secondmessage from the second device 110, which second message is a reply ofthe first message. The IP communication unit 320 may then be adapted toinitiate the setting up of the peer-to-peer IP connection such that thefirst device 100 connects to the second device 110 by means of the IPaddress of second device 110 received in the second message.

The identification identifying the first device may be included in thefirst message in any of the above embodiments.

In an exemplary implementation, to perform the steps described in FIG.2, the second device 110 may include an arrangement 400 as depicted inFIG. 4. The second device arrangement 400 comprises an SMS, MMS orsimilar message communication unit 410 (message communication unit 410)adapted to receive in an SMS, MMS or similar message (message) from thefirst device 100, a request for setting up the peer-to-peer IPconnection between the first device 100 and the second device 110. Themessage communication unit 410 is further adapted to receive an IPaddress of the first device 100 in a message from the first device 100,or send an IP address of the second device 110 in a message to the firstdevice 100. The message communication unit 410 may further be adapted toreceive in a message from the first device 100, an identificationidentifying the first device 100.

The second device arrangement 400 further comprises an IP communicationunit 420 adapted to set up the peer-to-peer IP connection between thefirst device 100 and the second device 110, which setting up isinitiated by any one of the parties of the first device 100 and thesecond device 110, having obtained the IP address of the other party, byconnecting to the other party by means of the IP address of the otherparty. The IP communication unit 420 may be adapted to share anapplication with the first device 100, using the set up peer-to-peer IPconnection.

The second device may include the server 140 and the IP communicationunit 420 may further be adapted to receive on the set up peer-to-peer IPconnection, a request from the first device 100 to access the server 140in the second device 110. In other implementations, server 140 may belocated externally from second device 110 and may be accessible tosecond device 110. The IP communication unit 420 may further be adaptedto receive from the first device 100, the identification together withthe request to access the server 140, which identification is adapted tobe used by the second device 110 as an authentication measure beforeletting the first device 100 access the server 140. The second device110 may include an application to act as a server 430 and the messagecommunication unit 410 may further be adapted to receive a trigger tostart the application in the second device 110, in a message from thefirst device 100. The second device arrangement 400 may further includemeans 440 for starting the application 430 to act as a server 140 bymeans of the trigger. The first device 100 may include an Internetbrowser application. The server 140 in the second device 110 may beadapted to be browsed on by the first device 100 using its Internetbrowser application.

In one embodiment, the message communication unit 410 may be adapted toreceive the request for setting up the peer-to-peer IP connectionbetween the first device 100 and the second device 110, and the IPaddress of the first device 100, in the same message from the firstdevice 100. The IP communication unit 420 may then be adapted toinitiate the set up of the peer-to-peer IP connection such that thesecond device 110 is connecting to the first device 100 by means of theIP address of the first device 100 received in the first message.

In another embodiment, the message communication unit 410 may be adaptedto receive the request for setting up the peer-to-peer IP connectionbetween the first device 100 and the second device 110 in a firstmessage from the first device 100. The message communication unit 410may further be adapted to send the IP address of the second device 110in a second message to the first device 100, which second message is areply of the first message. The IP communication unit 420 may then beadapted to be connected by the first device 100 by means of the IPaddress of second device 110 sent in the second message, for setting upof the peer-to-peer IP connection.

The identification identifying the first device 100 may be included inthe first message.

The present mechanism for setting up a peer-to-peer IP connection can beimplemented through one or more processors, such as processor 350 in thefirst device 100 depicted in FIG. 3 and/or the processor 450 in thesecond device 110 depicted in FIG. 4, together with computer programcode for performing the functions described herein. The program codementioned above may also be provided as a computer program product, forinstance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program codefor performing the present method when being loaded into the firstdevice. One such carrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disc. It is,however, feasible to use other data carriers, such as a memory stick orany other computer readable medium. The computer program code canfurthermore be provided as pure program code on a server and downloadedto the first device 100 and/or second device 110 remotely.

It should be emphasized that the term “comprises/comprising” when usedin this specification is taken to specify the presence of statedfeatures, integers, steps, or components, but does not preclude thepresence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps,components, or groups thereof.

No element, act, or instruction used in the description of the presentapplication should be construed as critical or essential to theinvention unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, thearticle “a” is intended to include one or more items. Where only oneitem is intended, the term “one” or similar language is used. Further,the phrase “based on,” as used herein is intended to mean “based, atleast in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise.

The present invention is not limited to the above-describe preferredembodiments. Various alternatives, modifications and equivalents may beused. Therefore, the above embodiments should not be taken as limitingthe scope of the invention, which is defined by the appending claims andtheir equivalents.

What is claimed:
 1. A method comprising: sending, by a firstcommunication device and to a second communication device, a request forestablishing a peer-to-peer Internet Protocol (IP) connection betweenthe first communication device and the second communication device;receiving, by the first communication device, a message from the secondcommunication device, the message including information identifying: anidentifier associated with the first communication device, and an IPaddress associated with the second communication device; generating, bythe first communication device and based on the identifier, a signatureassociated with the first communication device; and sending, by thefirst communication device, the signature to the IP address of thesecond communication device to establish the peer-to-peer IP connection,the second communication device authenticating the first communicationdevice based on the signature, and the peer-to-peer IP connection beingestablished based on the second communication device authenticating thefirst communication device.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: using the peer-to-peer IP connection to share an applicationwith the second communication device.
 3. The method of claim 1, wheresending the request to establish the peer-to-peer IP connectionincludes: sending one of a short message service message or a multimediamessaging service message, the one of the short message service messageor the multimedia messaging service message including the request toestablish the peer-to-peer IP connection.
 4. The method of claim 1,where sending the request to establish the peer-to-peer IP connectionincludes: sending a trigger to the second communication device, wherethe trigger causes the second communication device to start anapplication for enabling the second communication device to act as aserver.
 5. The method of claim 4, where sending the trigger includes:addressing the request to establish the peer-to-peer IP connection to aparticular port of the second communication device, where the particularport is associated with the application.
 6. The method of claim 1,further comprising: sending, via the peer-to-peer IP connection, arequest to access a server associated with the second communicationdevice.
 7. The method of claim 6, where the server is external to thesecond communication device.
 8. A first device comprising: a processorto: send, to a second device, a request for establishing a peer-to-peerInternet Protocol (IP) connection between the first device and thesecond device; receive, from the second device, a message that includesinformation identifying: an identifier associated with the first device,and an IP address associated with the second device; generate, based onthe identifier, a signature associated with the first device; and sendthe signature to the IP address of the second device to establish thepeer-to-peer IP connection, the second device authenticating the firstdevice based on the signature, and the peer-to-peer IP connection beingestablished based on the second device authenticating the first device.9. The first device of claim 8, where the processor is further to: sharemultimedia content with the second device via the peer-to-peer IPconnection.
 10. The first device of claim 8, where, when sending therequest to establish the peer-to-peer IP connection, the processor isto: use a telephone number associated with the second device to send oneof a short message service message or a multimedia messaging servicemessage to the second device, the one of the short message servicemessage or the multimedia messaging service message including therequest to establish the peer-to-peer IP connection.
 11. The firstdevice of claim 8, where, when sending the request to establish thepeer-to-peer IP connection, the processor is to: use an application tosend a trigger to the second device, where the trigger causes the seconddevice to start a same application on the second device.
 12. The firstdevice of claim 8, where, when sending the request to establish thepeer-to-peer IP connection, the processor is to: direct the request toestablish the peer-to-peer IP connection to a particular port of thesecond device, where receiving the request to establish the peer-to-peerIP connection at the particular port causes the second device toautomatically start an application that is associated with theparticular port.
 13. The first device of claim 8, where the processor isfurther to: send, via the peer-to-peer IP connection, a request toaccess a server associated with the second device.
 14. The first deviceof claim 8, where, when receiving the message from the second device,the processor is to: receive, from the second device, one of: a shortmessage service message, or a multimedia messaging service message. 15.A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, theinstructions comprising: one or more instructions that, when executed bya processor of a first device, cause the processor to: send, to a seconddevice, a request for establishing a peer-to-peer Internet Protocol (IP)connection between the first device and the second device; receive, fromthe second device, a message that includes information identifying: anidentifier associated with the first device, and an IP addressassociated with the second device; generate, based on the identifier, asignature associated with the first device; and send the signature tothe IP address of the second device to establish the peer-to-peer IPconnection, the second device authenticating the first device based onthe signature, and the peer-to-peer IP connection being establishedbased on the second device authenticating the first device.
 16. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where theinstructions further comprise: one or more instructions to sharemultimedia content with the second device via the peer-to-peer IPconnection.
 17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15,where the one or more instructions to send the request for establishingthe peer-to-peer IP connection include: one or more instructions to usea telephone number associated with the second device to send one of ashort message service message or a multimedia messaging service messageto the second device, the one of the short message service message orthe multimedia messaging service message including the request forestablishing the peer-to-peer IP connection.
 18. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 15, where the one or more instructionsto send the request to establish the peer-to-peer IP connection include:one or more instructions to use an application to send the request forestablishing the peer-to-peer connection to the second device, where therequest for establishing the peer-to-peer connection includes a trigger,where the trigger causes the second device to start a same applicationon the second device.
 19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium ofclaim 15, where the one or more instructions to send the request forestablishing the peer-to-peer IP connection include: direct the requestfor establishing the peer-to-peer IP connection to a particular port ofthe second device, where the particular port is associated with aparticular application, and where receiving the request for establishingthe peer-to-peer IP connection at the particular port causes the seconddevice to automatically start the particular application.
 20. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where theinstructions further comprise: one or more instructions to browse aserver associated with the second device via the peer-to-peer IPconnection.